Multiple stars on the move at trade deadline
Max Scherzer and Trea Turner wearing Dodger blue, Kris Bryant heading to the Golden Gate. Javier Báez joining the Mets, Craig Kimbrel crossing town to the White Sox, José Berríos moving north of the border.
Now this truly was an All-Star trade deadline day.
After a run-up that saw the likes of Nelson Cruz, Anthony Rizzo, Joey Gallo and Adam Frazier swapped, even more big names changed teams during a whirlwind Friday.
From contenders boosting their roster to the alsoran Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals gutting theirs, this was a monster day for moves.
The Colorado Rockies, however, chose to hold on to impending free agent shortstop Trevor Story.
Several playoff chasers pursued arms, with Toronto landing Berríos from the Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia getting starter Kyle Gibson and closer Ian Kennedy from the Texas Rangers, Boston adding relievers Hansel Robles (Twins) and Austin Davis (Pittsburgh Pirates), and St. Louis acquiring starters Jon Lester (Nationals) and J.A. Happ (Twins).
For Berrios, the Twins got infielder/outfielder Austin Martin, the fifth overall pick in last year’s draft, and righty Simeon Woods Richardson, who is currently playing for the U.S. Olympic team.
The Dodgers made the biggest noise, getting Scherzer and Turner for a talented quartet of young prospects, but the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants did just fine in landing Bryant from the Chicago Cubs for two minor leaguers.
While much of the day hinged on which teams added players — Atlanta got Adam Duvall (Miami Marlins), Jorge Soler (Kansas City Royals) and Eddie Rosario (Cleveland Indians) and reliever Richard Rodriguez (Pirates), among them — it also was about which clubs broke apart.
The Cubs traded away major pieces from their 2016 World Series championship, sending Báez to the New York Mets and Bryant to the Giants, a day after shipping Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees. The Cubs also dealt Kimbrel, their dominant closer to the AL Centralleading Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox already had one of baseball’s best closers in All-Star Liam Hendriks. Now the South Siders add Kimbrel, who has a 0.49 ERA and 23 saves.
The White Sox sent second baseman Nick Madrigal, a budding star who is out for the season with a torn right hamstring, to the Cubs along with righthanded reliever Codi Heuer.
“I want to personally thank Anthony Rizzo, Javy Báez and Kris Bryant,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. “Together they played critical roles for one of the most successful runs in Chicago Cubs history.”
The Nationals were busy, too. They traded away Scherzer and Turner, keys to their 2019 title, along with Lester, Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison, the latter two going to the Oakland A’s. That came after they dealt Kyle Schwarber, Brad Hand and Daniel Hudson on Thursday.
“It’s a difficult decision to make, but oftentimes a decision is made for you,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. “This year it was and we recognized where we were and what work we had in front of us. We decided to begin a building process that will allow us to compete at the highest level.”
Anthony Rizzo joined fellow All-Star Gallo with the Yankees in trades completed Thursday.
REDS’ VOTTO EXTENDS HOME RUN STREAK >> Joey Votto homered for the seventh straight game Friday night, putting the Cincinnati Reds star within one of the major league record.
Votto hit a 2-0 pitch from New York Mets reliever Drew Smith over the center-field fence at Citi Field to give the Reds a 3-1 lead in an eventual 6-2 win.
The six-time All-Star became the eighth player to homer in at least seven straight games and first since Kendrys Morales did it for the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2018. Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993) are the only players to go deep in eight consecutive games.
NATIONALS’ CASTRO BANNED 30 GAMES >> Washington Nationals infielder Starlin Castro has been suspended for 30 games without pay and fined an undisclosed amount for violating Major League Baseball’s policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
Shortly after MLB announced the penalty Friday, the Nationals said they would release Castro when the ban concludes.
Castro will be required to undergo evaluation and treatment, MLB said.
“Having reviewed all the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Castro violated our policy and that discipline is appropriate,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
“We take all allegations of abuse and harassment very seriously. We fully support the commissioner’s decision,” the team said in a statement after the MLB announcement.
Castro was accused of sexual assault in connection with a 2011 incident in Chicago but was not charged. General manager Mike Rizzo said Castro was vetted before the Nationals signed him to a two-year contract in January 2020, adding that he was “angered” by the new allegations.
The 31-year-old Castro is a 12-year major league veteran and a four-time AllStar who has also played for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Miami Marlins.
MARINERS’ SANTIAGO SUSPENDED AGAIN >> Mariners left-handed pitcher Hector Santiago received an 80-game suspension without pay from Major League Baseball due to a violation of baseball’s performanceenhancing substance policy.
Santiago tested positive for exogenous Testosterone, MLB said.
He is notable for being the first, and so far only, pitcher to be suspended under MLB’s new policy regarding doctoring balls with sticky substances.
Santiago was suspended for 10 games in June, and the decision was upheld after appeal in July.